Live blog: Richy Werenski wins Big Break the Palm Beaches’

Tuesday

Apr 21, 2015 at 12:01 AMApr 21, 2015 at 12:55 AM

(Update: Richy Werenski got off to a fast start, struggled through the middle of the round but came on strong to record a 2-and-1 victory over Justin Martinson in the final match to become the winner of “Big Break the Palm Beaches.” Details below.)

Contestants on “Big Break The Palm Beaches.”

There’s no better place to watch the final episode of “Big Break the Palm Beaches” reality show on Golf Channel than where it all went down, PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens.

We’re coming to you from a somewhat raucous party celebrating the occasion at Ibar in the lounge. Among the guests is Robert Rohanna, the Pennsylvania native who made it all the way to the final three before being knocked out in a six-hole match last week.

We’ll write more about Rohanna later, but he expressed frustration over playing so poorly in last week’s episode after pretty much breezing through the first 10 shows. He told us he played on the LatinoAmerica Tour last year and finished eighth on the money list, then earned some status on the Web.com Tour for this year by playing in its Q School right here at PGA National in December. He played the latter despite a thumb injury that continues to bother him; he plans to return to competitive play in late May.

The finale comes down to an 18-hole match on the Champion course between the two survivors of what was once a 12-member cast, Justin Martinson and Richy Werenski. The winner earns about $80,000 in cash and prizes and, perhaps most importantly, a start on the PGA Tour’s Barbasol Championship in June.

As the show was filmed in September, our rainiest month in South Florida, Rohanna said it rained pretty much every day. Previews have shown the finale being played in a downpour, so we’ll see.

Hole No. 1 — Both drive it in the fairway and Justin puts his approach to about 20 fet. Richy, with a bit longer drive, nails his wedge from 117 yards to within 2 feet, putting the pressure on Justin to hole a long putt. He fails, Richy taps in and wins the hole.

Score: Werenski 1 up

No. 2 — This long par-4 requires an accurate drive and Martinson doesn’t get one, leaving his shot in the rough and his approach short, while Werenski puts his second on the green about 15 feet away. Martinson chips close, but Werenski rolls in the putt to win again.

Score: Werenski 2 up

No. 3 — After a commercial break followed by a shot of the Phillips Point building downtown, play resumes at the par-5 third hole. Both get regulation pars.

No. 4 — Again both players make par as the show breezes through this hole.

No. 5 — Martinson almost chips in, but both par again, so no change.

No. 6 — Werenski pulls his tee shot into a hazard, drops and then finds a greenside bunker. Martinson gets on in regulation and Werenski concedes the hole.

Score: Werenski 1 up.

No. 7 — The long par-3 is a challenge for the best of players, but both land on the green. Martinson faces about a 30-foot putt and just misses while Werenski sinks his for birdie.

Score: Werenski 2 up.

No. 8 — Both drives land in the fairway short of the water, leaving relatively short pitch shots. Hitting first, Martinson bangs his off the flagstick, stopping about a foot away, while Werensky is just off the green to the left some 35 feet away. Werenski’s long putt slides by, leaving Martinson with a tap-in for the win.

Score: Werenski 1 up.

No. 9 — Both are in the fairway and Martinson once again flashes his excellent iron play by putting his approach about 10 feet from the hole. Werensky misses the green, so when Martinson makes his putt the match is even going to the back nine.

Score: All square.

The front nine took less than 20 minutes of the telecast, meaning the back will get a much closer examination. Previews show the skies opening up and pouring rain affecting play.

No. 10 — With storm clouds gathering and the wind whipping, Martinson finds the fairway while Werenski’s drive tails into the right rough. Martinson’s approach comes up pin-high right of the green while Werenski is forced to pitch over the trees, coming up well short of the green. Werenski’s approach is still short, giving Martinson an opening, and he pitches to about 8 feet. Then comes the rain, in a torrent. Werenski almost holes his chip, giving Martinson an opening to win with a birdie. His putt finds the hole.

Score: Martinson 1 up

No. 11 — After a weather break, play resumes with both players still in their rain suits, and they need them as the storm picks up again. The hole requires a lengthy carry on the approach and both players pull it off, Martinson getting to about 20 feet while Werenski is about 30 feet away. Werenski’s putt comes up just short while Martinson rolls his in. Martinson is now 4 up since losing the first two holes.

Score: Martinson 2 up

No. 12 — This 407-yard par-4 can be a sleeping giant, as Martinson learned when he pushed his drive into the houses right of the fairway and out of bounds. Werenski, needing some momentum, hit the left side of the fairway, then put his approach behind the hole. Werenski’s putt from just off the green came up short, and when Martinson made a lengthy one for birdie he was forced to make to win the hole. He did.

Score: Martinson 1 up

No. 13 — This hole is relatively short but also has a narrow fairway, and when Martinson missed it and got a bad lie he had a challenge to reach the green. He didn’t, his ball landing in a greenside bunker. Werenski’s shot finished about 20 feet below the hole, forcing Martinson to get up-and-down for a half. His bunker shot landed about 5 feet away and when Werenski’s putt slid just past he had the chance to maintain his lead with a half. But his putt lipped out and the match was even again.

Score: All square

No. 14 — This is the hole Jack Nicklaus redesigned last year and it caused problems for a few players in the Honda Classic, most notably Ian Poulter, who hit two balls in the water and essentially lost his chance to win on the final day. Werenski found the fairway off the tee but Martinson pulled his drive left, forcing him to deal with a large ficus tree. His approach again found the sand, while Werenski hit the green but was some 40 feet from the front pin. Martinson hit his bunker shot heavy and didn’t reach the green, giving Werenski an excellent chance. He lagged his putt to a foot and won with a tap-in.

Score: Werenski 1 up

No. 15 — Time for “The Bear Trap.” Werenski’s tee shot on the long par-3 hit the right edge of the green but bounced right into the bunker, while Martinson found the green. Werenski’s bunker shot was good but not great, leaving him about 12 feet for par. After Martinson’s two-putt, the show’s director added a bit of drama, cutting to a commercial after Werenski hit his putt for the tie. He made it and remained 1 up.

No. 16 — The drive is all-important to set up a manageable second shot on this hole and both players hit good ones in the fairway, opening up an opportunity for birdie. Martinson’s approach was pin-high about 20 feet right of the hole, and Werenski came down almost on top of him, setting up a putting contest. Martinson missed, giving Werenski a chance to go 2 up with two holes to play, but his try also slid past.

No. 17 — Both Daniel Berger and Padraig Harrington can attest to the trickiness of this hole; both found the water coming down the stretch at the Honda Classic. (Unfortunately for Berger, his water ball came on his final tee shot, costing him a chance to win.) Werenski followed Harrington’s lead in the playoff, putting his tee shot about 7 feet away. Martinson, recognizing he needed to follow if he was going to stay alive, landed in the fringe left of the green. Boldly going for the birdie, he slammed his putt past the hole, leaving Werenski the putt for the win. He made it and closed out the match.

Werenski wins 2 and 1

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